Getting Back into Shape After Iso With Barre Classes

How have you been dealing with life in quarantine? Are you loving all this extra free time you have on your hands and spending every free minute outside exercising? Or are you religiously keeping up to date with every coronavirus update, binge-eating from stress, and spending most days lying on the couch scrolling through Instagram?

This global pandemic has thrown all of us into some chaotic, uncharted waters to say at the least. All of our normal routines have been completely thrown out of whack – so it is totally okay if you spent most of your isolation resting, compulsively baking, or, if like many of us, you’ve fallen behind on your normal exercise routine. 

At Kaya, we think one of the best ways to get back into shape after iso, is with regular Barre classes in Melbourne. And here’s why. 

Barre classes in Melbourne are a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates. They focus on low-impact, high-intensity movements that are designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can. 

So, if you’ve ever dreamed of getting a body as sculpted as a ballerina – but have never been interested in taking up ballet classes to actually get there– Barre is the best alternative. 

Similar to Pilates, Barre classes in Melbourne use your own body weight for resistance and focus on small, deliberate movements that target specific muscles. Muscles are worked out to the point of fatigue, and then stretched for relief. 

Proper form, body alignment, and posture are all a big focus of the class, which in turn, leads to an overall strengthening of core muscles and the appearance of an aligned, lean, sculpted body. 

The best part is – unlike the ballerina’s you’ll see in Swan Lake or The Nutcracker– no leotards or fancy footwork are required to participate in Barre classes in Melbourne. So, if you’re a bit rhythmically challenged like a lot of us at Kaya, then Barre is probably perfect for you. 

While we do use a wall-mounted barre, blast fun upbeat music, and sometimes even incorporate simple counts to remember – you don’t need any dance experience to take the class, and you certainly won’t be expected to do any pirouettes! 

For beginners wanting to get a feel for the general structure of Barre classes in Melbourne – you’ll generally start with a mat-based warm-up full of planks and push-ups, followed by a series of arm exercises. We then move over to the barre to work on our lower body – focusing on small (but often challenging) movements in the quads, thighs, and glutes! Be prepared to feel the burn!

The class is generally finished with a series of core-focused moves at the barre or a short session on the mat. In terms of equipment, Barre is generally kept pretty minimal. Moves are typically bodyweight only, but you can sometimes incorporate light hand weights, resistance bands, or a soft exercise ball to level up the exercises. 

One of the main reasons we believe that Barre is one of the best fitness classes to go for post iso, is because of the quick results you can expect. Unlike yoga and Pilates, which can sometimes take weeks and even months to see visible results, barre participants start seeing results in as little as eight workouts.

This is great for those of us that have been comfort-eating throughout isolation and are keen to get back into shape fast. 

Barre is particularly good at providing quick results as unlike yoga and Pilates, Barre classes in Melbourne incorporate aerobics into each workout to strengthen your cardiovascular system and help you burn loads of calories. This doesn’t only boost your endurance – but also your metabolism and your body’s ability to burn fat. So, you can finally say goodbye to the one too many Easter eggs you ate over your Easter break! 

The second reason we believe that Barre classes in Melbourne are perfect for post isolation is because of the upbeat nature and feeling of community and camaraderie. For many of us, isolation was a lonely time and the only way we were able to catch up with friends and family was through phone screens and Zoom calls. Barre is the perfect way to get social again, as it really gives students an upbeat atmosphere – where having fun and interacting with one another is encouraged. 

For those you that a new to Barre or have never tried it before, and are keen to know more about the class, here are some of the results you can expect:

• Target and tone up specific areas of the body such as legs, thighs, butt, and arms
• Improve posture, coordination, and flexibility
• Sculpt, tone and elongate your muscles without the bulk
• Increase stamina, strength and cardiovascular endurance
• Fast results in as little as 8 weeks 
• Increase bone density, helping to prevent conditions like osteoporosis
• Increase mind-body awareness and mental clarity
• Improve focus and concentration
• Decrease stress levels
• Increase your general sense of health and well-being

So, if you’re trying to decide which fitness method is best for you post isolation – then give Barre a try! Barre classes in Melbourne are suitable for all fitness levels, from complete beginners to seasoned pros. At Kaya, we currently have a timetable with lots of Barre classes available for both our current students and any newbies keen to give the class a try!  

No matter what time you visit, our team at Kaya are very warm and friendly, and will help you drop into each class in whatever way required. If you’re a beginner to Barre we recommend wearing tight-fitting clothing, bringing along a water bottle, keeping your hair tied back (as you will be sweating a lot), and wearing either socks with grips or otherwise wear no socks at all.

We provide all the equipment and mats, so no need to worry about bringing your own mat (unless you want to). We wipe all our equipment (mats, barres, etc.) after each use with our own non-toxic cleaning solution, so your apparatus is ready, clean, and safe for you to use post isolation. 

If you need any more information regarding our Barre classes in Melbourne, click here to find out more. 

About the Author

Demi fell in love with yoga when she travelled to India when she was 20 years old. She loved the feeling of bliss she experienced both during and after class, and how that feeling would stay with her throughout her day. It was also in India, that Demi learned how much she loved to write about her travels. She believes that stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture in our minds. This led her to her job as a Content Writer. She loves helping businesses tell stories. Especially when the stories involve educating readers on the endless benefits of yoga and Pilates- two of her most loved fitness regimes